Geographic information systems provide for the archiving, retrieving, and manipulating of data that has been stored and indexed according to geographic coordinates of its elements. A geographic information system generally includes a variety of data types, including imagery, maps, tables, vector data (e.g. vector representations of roads, parcels, buildings, etc.), three-dimensional models and other data. Improvements in computer processing power and broadband technology have led to the development of interactive geographic information systems that allow for the navigating and displaying of geographic imagery, such as map imagery, satellite imagery, aerial imagery, street level imagery, three-dimensional models, and other geographic imagery.
The identification of prominent landmarks in geographic information systems can be used for a variety of purposes. For instance, prominent or highly visible landmarks can be identified for use in providing travel directions. As another example, vector-style maps can use the visual prominence of a landmark to determine whether to render certain landmarks in an emphasized style relative to other landmarks. As yet another example, visual prominence of structures can also be used to identify landmarks that merit the creation of a three-dimensional model representing the landmark in the geographic information system.